When items such as clothing or the like are hung from a rod or bar in a closet or other similar storage area, dust inevitably settles on the hanging items. Such dust is unsightly and may even cause permanent damage to the clothing. Furthermore, once the clothing is soiled with dust, the owner of the clothing may be required to use the services of a professional cleaner to return the clothing to its normal, clean state. This can become costly when numerous articles of clothing become soiled by dust.
In the prior art, many devices have been disclosed for protecting items of clothing from dust, particulate matter, or the like. Various dust protective measures exist in which items of clothing are individually protected in a garment bag or a protective sleeve. Other protective means include the use of sheets or covers draped over an entire closet area.
The measures in the prior art which protect only an individual item of clothing are limited in that one would need to use many such devices to properly cover all items of clothing in a closet. Additionally, such an endeavor is time consuming since each individual item of clothing must be contained in an individual garment protector. Furthermore, the time required to simply remove an article of clothing from the closet would greatly increase. To do so also would become costly since there is an associated cost for each individual garment bag.
The measures in the prior art that include draping sheets over the closet area are overly burdensome. Additionally, such an apparatus is usually located several inches above the clothing desired to be protected and still allows for the circulation of air and the dust flowing freely in it to settle upon articles of clothing.
These and other problems exist. Previous attempts to solve these and other problems include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,636, issued to McCool on Dec. 31, 2002, discloses an improved clothing protector comprising a cover for clothes hangers shaped to slip over the hook of the hanger and to be supported by the wings of the hanger. The clothing protector is comprised of two panels of foam material, such as polyurethane, leaving a space to receive the hook of the hanger, and formed with a slip-resistant surface. After joining, the panels to tend to flare out, providing an area for supporting an article of clothing. However, this clothing protector is placed over or upon a clothing hanger, not over an article of clothing already on a hanger, and is thus really only a hanger cover, not a clothing cover.
U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 427,782 issued to St. L-Morency on Jul. 11, 2000 discloses the ornamental design for a clothes protector for a hanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,577, issued to Knaggs on Oct. 15, 1996, discloses an apparatus for protecting clothes hanging on a hanger bar in a closet from dust. The apparatus employs an elongated roller assembly that is provided with an extensible and retractable, preferably transparent, sheet member and also at least one elongated rod-like member. However, this protective apparatus remains above the hanger bar and any clothing. Clothes hangers holding items of clothing are not threaded through the sheet comprising the protective cover. Thus, this apparatus is more like a retractable shade, curtain, or blind over items of clothing located in a closet.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,811,027, issued to Alexander on Nov. 2, 2004, discloses a polyethylene garment protector, extensively used by garment manufacturers to protect garments in transport to and from various facilities such as factories, distribution centers, and retail establishments. However, this garment protector is for use with an item of clothing in transit, not for use in a closet or the like, wherein the entire clothing contents are desired to be covered by a protective apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,668 to Endres on Jan. 7, 1992, discloses a method of making a garment protector that is of high quality, having an envelope structure made of cloth fabric with an easy access opening in one of its sides covered by a flap member. However, this garment protector is for use with an individual item of clothing, and is not designed for use to cover the entire clothing contents of a closet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,508 to Rifkin on Dec. 16, 1997, discloses a method of protecting garments during transportation by shrouding the garments. This method may be considered practical for transporting garments in the garment trade, but would not be practical in the day-to-day use in selecting clothes from an individual's closet since the clothing is completely enclosed from the bottom up. To remove clothing from this type of system would be very cumbersome on a day-to-day basis.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,067 to Marcellis on Aug. 4, 1998, discloses a gift wrap garment bag that protects an individual item of clothing that hangs over the individual clothes hanger. While this is practical for protecting an individual piece of clothing, it is not practical for protecting a plurality of garments in a clothes closet with easy access on a daily basis.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,026,464 to Fleischer on Dec. 31, 1935, discloses a garment protector for individual items of clothing. While this is practical for protecting an individual piece of clothing it is not practical for protecting a plurality of garments in a clothes closet with easy access on a daily basis.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,124,884 B2 to Felsenthal on Oct. 24, 2006, discloses a garment protector system for completely enclosing garments and including a means of incorporating a pocket for chemical protection of the garment(s). While this is practical for a chemical protection of moths and the like for long-term storage, it is not a practical application for protecting a plurality of garments to be used on a daily basis from dust.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,611,584 to Farkash and Rosenthal on Dec. 21, 1926, discloses a garment bag with a side opening for single garment. While this is a practical application for a minimal number of garments, it does not provide easy access and protection to a plurality of garments to be used on a daily basis from dust and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,462,966 to Henry on Mar. 1, 1949 discloses a garment protection bag for long-term storage of a garment for protection from moths and the like, it is not a practical application for protecting a plurality of garments intended to be used on a daily basis from dust and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,634 to Benedict on Dec. 2, 1980, discloses a garment protection system to protect a plurality of garments. While this is a practical application for long-term storage of a plurality of garments, it is not a practical application to protect a plurality of garments from dust and the like since it completely encloses the garments and does not provide for easy selection on a daily basis.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,097,544 to Goldberg on May 19, 1914, discloses a garment protector for individual items of clothing. While this is practical for protecting an individual piece of clothing, it is not practical for protecting a plurality of garments in a clothes closet with easy access on a daily basis.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,136,346 to Krebs on Apr. 20, 1915, discloses a garment protector for individual items of clothing. While this is practical for protecting an individual piece of clothing, it is not practical for protecting a plurality of garments in a clothes closet with easy access on a daily basis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,163 to Usner on Feb. 20, 1979, discloses a method of protecting a plurality of garments shrouding the garment. This method may be considered practical for long-term protection of garments, but would not be practical in the day-to-day use in selecting clothes from an individual's closet since the clothing is completely enclosed from the bottom up. To remove clothing from this type of system would be very cumbersome on a day-to-day basis.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,351,882 to Schwartzman on Mar. 18, 1943, discloses a method of protecting a plurality of garments shrouding the garments. This method may be considered practical for long-term protection of garments, but would not be practical in the day-to-day use in selecting clothes from an individual's closet since the clothing is completely enclosed. To remove clothing from this type of system would be very cumbersome on a day-to-day basis and also cumbersome in viewing the desired garment for selection.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,314,608 to Roach on Sep. 2, 1919, discloses a method of protecting a plurality of garments shrouding the garments. This method may be considered practical for long-term protection of garments, but would not be practical in the day-to-day use in selecting clothes from an individual's closet since the clothing is completely enclosed. To remove clothing from this type of system would be very cumbersome on a day-to-day basis and also cumbersome in viewing the desired garment for selection.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,278,185 to Pearson on Mar. 31, 1942, discloses a garment protector for individual items of clothing. While this is practical for protecting an individual piece of clothing it is not practical for protecting a plurality of garments in a clothes closet with easy access on a daily basis.
Additionally, there are products in the marketplace that seek to provide a protective cover for clothing. For example, Sears, the major US retailer, sells a garment rack cover, item number 00850330000, manufacturer's model number 7462389WM, at http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_SessionID=@@@@ 1606230013.113-5693 242@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccjladdgijfjedmcegecegjdghldggo.0&vertical=SEARS&-sid=10093600050004500085&pid=00850330000. This cover is used to cover a mobile garment rack and protect the clothing contained within. Also, Alco Sales and Service sells a garment rack cover kit, part AL-51324, made of coated nylon, located online at http://www.alcosales.com/Alco/AlcoProd.nsf50dfebd4b26e8d5f86256a140048fd-ce/f54d1 878dcb203fd862569df0044dd65!OpenDocument&Highlight=0,al-51321. The cover is also used to fit a mobile garment rack. HangerCity sells garment storage devices that hang from a rod in a closet. One such product is garment bag, product number 8113910, located online at http://www.hangercity.com/caclst.html. These are examples of a few of the many products sold that either cover individual garments in a garment protector or cover a mobile rack of garments in transport rather than cover an entire closet directly above the protected hanging articles of clothing.
While these patents and other previous devices and methods have attempted to solve the above mentioned problems, none have provided for a clothes protector cover in the same manner as the present invention. Therefore, a need exists for such a device and method of manufacture and use.